A REFURBISHED house may not sound like the answer to a community's crime problem, but residents on the Clayton Brook estate are confident it will turn around its bad reputation.

It has taken more than two years of hard work by residents of the Bamber Bridge estate to transform the house on Tunley Holme into a community home, which, among other things, will provide space for youth groups, hopefully keeping them off the streets.

It is hoped that education courses will also be launched inside the house, along with debt, domestic violence and drugs counselling - all of which should help combat crime.

Community leaders are confident the new community house - which has cost £37,000 to renovate with the help of donations from local firms who were keen to see the area where many of their employees live, improved - will regenerate the area.

Project worker, Janet Sharples said: "Hopefully, the house will enable people to get better qualifications.

"They will be able to talk in confidence to relieve stress or the feeling of isolation which can prevail on the estate. The house has been part-financed by North British Housing Association.

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